Remembrance
by Clockwork Mockingbird
Summary: In which the crew is worried, Nami is in pain, Zoro is sad, and Usopp eventually figures something out.
1. In Which There Is A Tale

Remembrance

"There was once a man who fell in love with a pirate," Usopp began dramatically, pitching his voice so that Nami and Zoro, seated on the other side of the deck, could hear. Luffy, excited at the thought of a story, bounded over and plopped down in front of Usopp, legs crossed, eyes expectant.

Usopp cleared his throat. "Anyways, the man- a magician- fell in love with a woman named Karina, who was a very famous pirate. They loved each other so much that the man asked Karina to marry him the next time she returned, and Karina agreed."

"Let me guess, she never showed?"

Usopp glanced at Nami in surprise. "How did you know?"

Nami shrugged absently, checking the Log Pose. "Pirate marriages never last."

Zoro appeared behind Sanji, who jumped and snorted smoke out his nose, and vanished just as quickly into the Crow's Nest. Sanji was too busy coughing to notice the question in Nami's eyes until she voiced it.

"What's with him?"

Sanji took a drag of his cigarette, wishing he could get courage and knowledge as easily as nicotine. Curious, Nami waited patiently for Sanji to answer.

"Time for watch," he said finally, exhaling smoke as he talked. "He's got it first today."

Nami's brow furrowed. "No he doesn't. You do."

"We traded," Sanji said easily. "He said he wanted more time to sleep."

He let out the breath he had been holding when Nami muttered something about the 'lazy ass' and glanced at Log Pose again.

Luffy swallowed the meat he had swiped from the kitchen, spitting out bones and bouncing on his knees, rattling Chopper, who had started to doze.

"Did Karina show?" he wanted to know.

Usopp shook his head sadly. "No. On the appointed day, the man went to the tallest cliff, scanning the seas for any sign of his love. He waited there for three days in the rain, but the ship never appeared on the horizon. Karina never came."

"Crappy," Sanji observed, flicking his cigarette butt overboard.

Luffy sniffed loudly. "That's so sad!" he wailed.

"Maybe she had a reason," Nami mused. "Maybe she died or something, and her crew didn't know to send word."

Usopp shrugged. "No one knows. Some say if you sail past that cliff, you can see the shadow of a man gazing out to sea, waiting for his love to return to him."

Chopper abruptly became awake. "Like a ghost?"

"Shadows and ghosts are different things," Luffy declared. "Shadows are worse because they can touch things and throw them. They like to hide in dark corners and-"

Nami smacked her captain on the back of his head with an open hand, not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough that he stopped talking and clutched his hat when it threatened to topple off his head.

"You're scaring Chopper," was all she said.

"I-I'm alright Nami."

Sanji stood, patting down his pockets and scanning the deck. "Anyone see my pack of smokes?" Everyone looked down automatically, checking to see if they were in danger of stepping on and crushing Sanji's supply. Luffy balanced himself on one leg and examined his spot carefully before settling back down.

Nami glanced up at the Crow's Nest.

"Weren't you in the Nest earlier?"

Sanji's visible eye widened and darted upwards. "Damn. Bet you anything I left them up there. That swordsman is probably asleep on them or something too."

Usopp watched him begin to climb before seeming to remember he was in the middle of telling a tale. "Right, well, for those who don't like shadows-"

"Or ghosts!"

"-shadows or ghosts," Usopp amended with a mild glare. "Stop interrupting. Anyways, other people say that the man became enraged, convinced that the reason Karina hadn't shown was because she was a pirate, and pirates never keep their word. He grew angry with all pirates, and used his powerful magic to sink ships, blow up their cannons, anything and everything he could to get rid of them."

Nami had been listening despite herself. She cocked her head and studied the sky. "Why does everyone take it out the pirates?"

Luffy shushed her. "Don't interrupt!" he ordered. Nami laughed.

"That's the legend," Usopp answered. "I actually encountered this man once, and-"

"What was his name?" Sanji asked, reappearing with a cigarette firmly planted between his lips. "If you encountered this man, you'd know his name."

Usopp turned purple. "He didn't give his name!"

"Uh-huh."

"He didn't!" he insisted. "He just tried to sink my ship, but I defeated him because I'm the Great Captain Usopp!"

Nami shook her head and retreated to the map room. She paused briefly, glancing back at the chaos on deck with a smile. Chopper was freaking out because Sanji and Usopp were dukeing it out- a new habit of theirs that usually left them both bloody and sweaty. (Sanji claimed it was because Usopp needed a good beating every now and then, but Nami suspected Sanji was training Usopp and neither wanted to say anything.)

Luffy joined the tussle with a laugh, kicking Usopp in the face and tackling Sanji as he dove into the middle of the tangle of limbs.

Nami thought about stopping them, but decided that her shirt would be in danger of being ripped, and it had been expensive. She glanced at the Crow's Nest to make sure Zoro was actually watching and not sleeping like usual, and, oh, he'd get a good smack if he wasn't doing his job-

His silhouette was all she could make out, but she could see him high in the Nest, arms crossed, eyes trained on the sea.

* * *

><p>She woke very early in the morning to a pounding head, a churning gut, and a sense of dread. <em>Oh no<em>...

Nami launched herself out of her warm bed and out her door, just barely making it to the railing before the delicious stew Sanji had made for dinner decided to make its second appearance. Nami spat, wiping her mouth, and sank weakly to the floor.

"Damn it," she muttered. "Why can't I have nightmares like a normal person?"

The dreams had started weeks ago and had been the bane of Nami's existence since. At first, she thought nothing of it, chalked up weird dreams to the fact that weird things that happen in her life and went about her business. The next week, she had another dream, and this time she woke with a headache so bed she couldn't stand without getting dizzy and had to call for Chopper. It was decided that the sudden brightness of her room had given Nami the migraine. She took some medicine, slept all day, and woke perfectly fine the next morning.

The next week, she had another dream, and another five days later.

Nami knew that there was something more than a bizarre lifestyle behind this. The only times she was ever sick were the mornings after she had a dream. There would be a pounding head, pain behind her eyes, and perhaps a round of retching, all of which she could handle on her own. She didn't want to worry anyone (it wasn't like they could do anything anyways), so Nami kept her dreams a secret and tried to keep her headaches hidden.

Besides, the dreams were downright embarrassing.

It was one thing to have dreams involving the crew, but it was another thing altogether to be dreaming about Zoro by himself. _Not by himself_, she corrected, _but with me. Not standing by me, but _with_ me._

It was odd that her dreams hadn't taken a turn for the sexual. Those kinds of dreams wouldn't bother Nami as much- they were bound to happen at some point in her life and could be dealt with. But her Zoro dreams involved other things, like Zoro taking her hand, or kissing her forehead, or doing something that only someone really close to her would do. In her dreams, Zoro knew things about her that no one else knew. If he had his arms around her, he held her tight because that's how she liked to be held. If he gave her a long kiss (something that made Nami blush if she so much as _thought_ about it), he ended it with a smaller, lighter kiss.

The Zoro in her dreams was the man of her dreams. He knew when to hold her, when to let go, how to talk to her, how to kiss her. Dream Zoro knew things that Nami hadn't even told to her sister, and if anyone knew Nami, it was Nojiko.

So how did he know? Did her dreams gift Zoro with the power to do things perfectly?

Nami was pulled out of her musings when the object of her confusion turned the corner. Zoro blinked down at her, unsure of what to do upon finding her stretched out on the deck.

"Do you ever sleep?" she asked weakly through her sore and dry throat.

"You okay?"

"Got sick," she said simply.

Zoro immediately knelt beside her. "Should I get Chopper?"

Nami shook her head. "It won't do any good. It's almost passed anyway." She held out a hand. "Help me up?"

He didn't look like he believed her, but he pulled her to her feet and kept his opinions to himself. A wave of vertigo hit Nami hard and she stumbled for a second, clutching Zoro's arm to steady herself. A hand closed around her elbow, an arm went around her waist, and suddenly Nami felt like she was dreaming.

_The arm around her waist held her firmly in place, the hand at the back of her neck applying gentle pressure so she'd tilt her head. His lips were chapped, his hands were rough with calluses, and the kiss was far from gentle, but it was right, and she felt at home._

"Easy," Zoro murmured, his deep baritone stabling her better than any medicine Chopper could have given her.

With a hand to her head and a lopsided grin, Nami stepped away.

"Think I'm gonna go back to bed."

Zoro watched as she walked on shaky legs and reached for her again. "Think I'd better help you."

Nami waved him off. "It's just down the hall. I'll be fine." She rolled her eyes at Zoro's skeptical look. "I'll yell if I need you, okay?"

He let her walk herself back to her room, but watched her like a hawk until she shut the door behind her. Nami let out a frustrated sigh, wincing at the taste in her mouth. She reached for the bottle of water she had been keeping on her nightstand for such occasions and took a long swig.

The dreams were coming more frequently now, two or three a week instead of just one every once in a while. Nami could live with the dreams (provided none of the crew found out), but the headaches and the sickness were a problem. She was behind on her maps as it was; she didn't want a pounding head to prevent her from catching up.

Thinking that, Nami lit a few lamps to combat the pre-dawn darkness of her room, determined to finish her newest map, and equally determined to not think about Zoro's arm around her waist, or the feel of his lips and hands that had definitely _not_ touched her anywhere.

_It was_ _only a dream_, she reminded herself, and got back to work.


	2. In Which There Is Pain

_"There's nothing wrong with being sick." She murmured, wiping his face with a cool cloth. It felt good, not that he'd admit it. He hated seeing the worry in her eyes. Worry for him. Worry that shouldn't be there._

_"I'm not sick," he insisted._

_"Your fever says otherwise."_

_His hand cupped her face. "Hey."_

_Her own skin was cool against his feverish touch and she leaned into his hand, eyes closed as she tried to gather her thoughts. The cuts from his latest battle were infected and he was burning with fever, sometimes even becoming delirious. Once he even thought she had been speaking in a different language. The last time she had come to check on him he hadn't known her and it made her cry. He might not have known her name then, but he had still panicked at her tears all the same._

_"Hey," he said again. "Don't go worrying about me. I'm stronger than some damn germ."_

_It got him a smile and a brush of lips on his._

_"Go to sleep. I'll bully Sanji for some soup."_

_"And I'll love you for it."_

_That got him a small chuckle. "I thought you loved me anyways," she teased gently._

_He brushed her hair away from her forehead, pressing a kiss to the exposed skin._

_"You know I do."_

Nami cried out into her pillow, clutching her head and praying to whatever God there was to relieve the pain ricocheting around in her skull. She bit the pillowcase so she wouldn't scream and felt the fabric tear. Her knees came up to her chest, curling her into the fetal position. Her heart hammered away with such force Nami swore it was going to break a rib.

It had been two days since Zoro had found her on deck, and Nami hadn't had another dream until last night- a dream which lead to a discovery. As the dreams got clearer, the resulting pain got worse. Last night's dream had been the first one with so much detail and the longest one yet. Usually the dreams felt like they were only a few seconds long and Nami felt as if she woke only minutes later, but that one...

Nami forced herself to even her breath, battling the nausea even as her stomach rolled threateningly. Everything was worse this time. The pain, the nausea, they were so much worse than before.

It was several minutes before the pain dulled enough for Nami to risk sitting up. Her stomach churned alarmingly, but everything stayed where it was. Standing wasn't an option yet, so Nami reached for her water, hoping the cool liquid could settle her stomach. She needed to get everything calm before someone came looking for her- breakfast had started twenty minutes ago and Sanji was surely trying to keep Luffy from eating her portion of whatever he had whipped up.

The very thought of food was what did it. Nami found herself running into the bathroom, hand clamped firmly over her mouth, throat burning, and finally heaving up whatever it was she had in her stomach.

Her head felt heavy, like Usopp had taken his hammer to her skull when she had a bad cold, and the throbbing hadn't stopped. Nami felt her face and arms, only slightly surprised she didn't have a fever.

_It's got to be the dreams. I don't know how, but the dreams are definitely the reason I'm sick._

She'd never heard of someone becoming ill every time they had a dream. Bad dreams could make people sick, but getting sick just because they had a dream in general?

That was another thing, why were all her dreams centered around Zoro? Not just Zoro, but around her and Zoro having a relationship- they were either dating or... something, which was beyond not normal. Zoro was attractive, sure, but he wasn't someone she could see herself dating.

Could she?

A spike of pain drilled into her brain and Nami instantly stopped thinking and curled up on the floor, waiting for it to pass.

* * *

><p>It was almost an hour before Nami was able to drag herself off the floor, and another ten minutes to make herself presentable. She washed her face, brushed her hair, and applied concealer to the growing dark circles under her eyes. She couldn't do anything about how pale she looked, but she'd been looking pale for days and no one had noticed.<p>

Normally Nami might bit a little offended that none of her nakama had noticed anything, but at the moment she was glad and hoped it stayed that way. There was no sense in having everyone worry about something they couldn't fix. Besides, even she wasn't sure that _she_ should be worried. The sickness and pain faded after an hour or so anyways, so it's not like it was affecting her all the time.

Nami double checked herself in the mirror, glancing for any other abnormalities, before finally heading to the kitchen to refill her empty and complaining stomach.

She nearly ran into Zoro in the kitchen doorway. He tried to step out of her way, but she stepped in the same direction and they had an awkward dance before Nami reached out and simply spun them so that she was in the doorway and he wasn't.

"Zoro if you wanted a dance, all you had to do was ask," she teased.

Zoro's face was blank and a bit distant. Nami snapped her fingers in front of his nose and he blinked like he just realized she was there.

"No sleeping on your feet, lazy. You do enough of that on deck."

He met her eye for half a second and Nami's breath caught in her throat. He was gone before she could so much as blink, but she was absolutely positive that it had been sadness in those black eyes. Sadness and an utter sense of loss.

Sanji noticed her standing in the doorway. "Nami! I saved you some breakfast. Luffy ate most of it like always, but there are some eggs and..." he trailed off when she didn't turn around. "Nami? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she said softly, "but I don't think Zoro is."

Sanji peered around the doorframe, searching for the man in question. "What's wrong with him?" he asked, holding his cigarette away from Nami to keep the smoke out of her eyes.

"I don't know, but he... he looked so _sad_ just now." She bit her lip. "I've never seen him like that."

Sanji steered her towards the table. "I'm sure he's fine," he assured her. "Zoro's always been weird, you know that."

"Weird and sad aren't the same thing," Nami insisted. "Something's wrong with him."

Sanji was quiet for a second too long and it was all Nami needed. Sanji would rather say nothing than lie to her, and if he was silent now, it meant he was keeping something from her. Something was wrong with Zoro and Sanji knew what it was.

"Sanji-"

He deliberately turned his back as he reheated her eggs. "Zoro's fine," he said to the stove, cutting her off. "I bet he's just mad he didn't get a lot of meat this morning. Luffy took most of it. Poor Chopper barely got any food at all. They're all so greedy, eating before you came down. Serves him right I say." He sat a steaming plate of fluffy scrambled eggs in front of her. "What took you so long this morning anyway? Did you oversleep or something?"

Nami quickly scooped a forkful of eggs into her mouth and chewed. "Or something," she said sweetly. "Could you hand me some salt please Sanji-kun? And a glass of milk?"

She kept Sanji fussing over her food to keep him from fussing over her and left as soon as she was done, walking so quickly onto the deck that she tripped over a wrench and had to catch herself on a very surprised Usopp.

"Oh Nami! I'm sorry, I must have left that wrench right in your way." Usopp stood sheepishly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. "No harm done, see?"

Luffy squeezed out from under the contraption they were standing by, puffing back to normal size as he straightened. He was completely covered in grease and grinning ear to ear.

Nami looked suspiciously between the two of them. "What are you two up to?"

Usopp began to grin. "Behold!" he bellowed. "The Great Captain Usopp's Great Catapult!"

"You're so goofy Usopp. I'm captain!"

"Catapult?" Nami glanced at the structure warily. "What on earth do we need a catapult for?"

"We don't have one," Luffy said, "which means we need it! Look, it throws things really far!" He picked up the wrench that had tripped her only moments before and carefully placed it in what looked like a bowl.

"Is that Sanji's mixing bowl?"

Usopp had the grace to look a little guilty, but Luffy paid her no mind and pulled the lever on the other side. Nami had a brief second to wonder if she should back up a few feet before the entire would-be catapult suddenly launched itself straight into the air.

"Cool!" Luffy cheered. "Look how high it is!"

Usopp's jaw dropped. "What did you do?" he demanded.

Luffy kept grinning. "I thought the settings were too low, so I cranked them up all the way. Look how far it went!"

"WHAT?"

Nami glanced up again and saw the catapult hurtling back towards them. Directly towards them. She threw herself at the arguing pair, knocking them off their feet and back against the railing. There was a whoosh of air, the feeling of something scraping down her shoulder and back, then the sound of breaking wood.

The following second was full of stunned silence, then three set of footprints could be heard pounding down the stairs.

"What the hell was that?" Sanji demanded.

Chopper carefully made his way across the splintered wood. "Is everyone alright?"

"Nami's bleeding," Zoro bit out, glaring murderously at the two men in front of them.

Startled, by both the fury in Zoro's voice and the fact that she actually was bleeding, Nami jumped when Chopper gently prodded her shoulder.

"Did that hurt? I'm sorry."

Nami opened her mouth to tell him it didn't hurt at all when the pain suddenly flared in her shoulder and she was aware of just how much it actually did hurt. The adrenaline had begun to fade and as it went so did the pain buffer. Her entire arm was pulsing faintly, her shoulder practically burning where the skin had split.

"Ow," she said through clenched teeth. "Damn. There's no way that doesn't need stitches."

Chopper nodded grimly. "I'm afraid so. Come on to the sick bay and we'll get started."

Usopp and Luffy both helped her stand, eyes saying a thousand apologies before their mouths could even move. Luffy looked almost scared as he stretched his arm to deposit her safely onto the sturdy section of the floor.

Sanji stared at the mess before him for a second before whirling around, pinning his captain and the mechanic under a steely glare.

"Is that my mixing bowl?"

Usopp gulped nervously. "M-maybe?"

"Maybe? MAYBE? You guys are SO dead you-"

The rest of it was lost behind the closed door. Nami was ushered down the hall by Chopper, Zoro following silently behind them like a dangerous shadow. Nami figured he didn't want to be around for the ensuing argument, and said nothing. He'd probably leave once he knew she was fine, or doze in the corner as Chopper patched her up.

"On the bed Nami," Chopper ordered, all business, "and take off your shirt. I'll be right back with something to clean you off."

Nami witnessed the look on Zoro's face before he turned. Shock mainly, but a slight tinge of embarrassment and comically wide eyes. She suppressed a snicker and began to lift her shirt.

Her shoulder didn't like the idea of moving and promptly flared up in pain. Nami bit back a curse and tried to wiggle out of the offending material using only one arm, but the shirt refused to cooperate. This time Nami let the curse lose, hissing when she twisted her shoulder the wrong way.

"You okay back there?"

She had forgotten that Zoro was still there. Nami thought fast, weighed her options, and then asked Zoro to turn around.

"Can you cut my shirt off me?"

His face when she said _that_ was nothing short of hilarious, and Nami would have laughed or added onto his debt had it been any other time. But her shoulder was aching, she was covered in blood, and she needed help.

"Uh," Zoro said. "Can't Chopper... I mean..."

"His scissors won't cut through this material very well, otherwise I'd let him do it." Nami admitted. "Please, I wouldn't ask if I could get it off myself."

Zoro gulped, but nodded and twirled his finger. "Turn around. Hold _very_ still," he ordered.

Nami felt a tug, then her shirt floated away and onto the floor. Zoro cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Thank-"

"I think you're gonna have to take off your bra too," he blurted. "The cut goes under the strap."

Nami groaned. The bra had been more expensive than the shirt, and she really didn't want it ruined, so cutting it wasn't an option, but she really, _really_ didn't want to ask Zoro to take off her bra. But if he said it needed to come off, then it needed to come off. Zoro wouldn't have mentioned it if it wasn't important, and it wasn't like he'd try to cop a feel or anything.

Plus she could charge him for it. Or blackmail him with it later.

"Unhook it," she said before she could change her mind.

He waited, wondering if she was serious, before reaching up and undoing the hooks and loops so fast that Nami knew there was no way he hadn't done this to someone before, then he gently eased the strap off her injured shoulder so she could shrug it off. He turned away as soon as he was done. Nami snatched up a sheet, holding it carefully to her font.

"Thanks," she said. She wasn't embarrassed one bit (though her heart was pounding like crazy), which surprised her, but Zoro's ears were suspiciously red. He nodded once and then all but ran out the door.

Chopper just barely managed to dodge the retreating swordsman, sliding into the room before the door slammed shut. He glanced at Nami, who buried her face in the pillow, feeling another headache coming on.

"You can go ahead and knock me out now."


	3. In Which There Is A Storm

Nami staggered onto the deck, the bright sunlight making her head throb even more, but she ignored it and clutched the rail, studying the sky. The air had changed too suddenly for her liking. Whatever was coming was big, and it wasn't good. The breeze blowing across her face was too warm for the climate, and the sudden temperature change made her nervous.

She became very aware of the moisture in the air, taking note of its sudden appearance as well.

"Shit. Everyone on deck now!" she bellowed, bypassing the stairs altogether and jumping to the lower level, startling Usopp and Chopper, who were playing cards. She stumbled slightly and chips and cards went flying, but Nami ignored them.

Zoro called down from the Crow's Nest. "What is it?"

"Storm!" she yelled back. "Big one!"

His mouth moved to form what could only be a curse, and he scrambled down to join them. "How bad?" he asked as he feet touched the deck.

"Typhoon size, easily." Nami closed her eyes and felt the breeze, ignoring the throbbing in her head. "Usopp!" He snapped to attention. "Steer us to eleven o'clock," she ordered, already running towards the kitchen. Sanji appeared, handing Nami a rain coat.

"Will you need this?"

Nami pulled it over her head. "Make sure the sails are loose," she told him. "We can use the wind to pull ourselves out of the danger."

Sanji knew better than to ask what wind and set about climbing up the mast. Zoro followed him, both shouting orders back and forth. Nami sent Luffy below deck to tie everything down. There wasn't much he'd be able to do on deck, and if he fell overboard he'd drown. Chopper stood helplessly beside Usopp, trying to decide what he could do.

"Chopper!" Nami called, "Go help Luffy and make sure he doesn't come up here. This is going to get bad." A large wave slammed into the ship, rocking it roughly and knocking everyone off their feet. Zoro lost his grip, rope slipping through his hands as he fell towards the deck.

"Zoro!"

At the last second he snatched a loose rope, his body jerking as the rope went stiff. Sanji dove for the other end and lowered him safely down. Nami tried to restart her heart, turning back to the sky so he wouldn't see the terror she was sure was apparent on her face.

The sky crackled. Then it split open.

Rain slanted down, a small sprinkle at first that quickly grew into an all-out downpour, the rain falling so fast and hard that it hurt when it landed on their skin. Sanji skidded into the steps, gripping the railing tightly to right himself. He reached a hand back for Nami, hauling her up and to Zoro, who took her other hand when the threatened to fall.

"What now?" He yelled.

"Hold course," Nami bellowed back. She could barely see him through the rain. "We'll pass through it in a few minutes."

Usopp fought against the wheel and was knocked aside when the ship rocked again. Nami dove away from Zoro and caught the spinning wheel, throwing her weight against it and forcing the ship to go in the direction she told it to.

Zoro and Sanji were a heap on the ground. They tried to untangle themselves. Zoro shouted something that was lost in the clap of thunder and freed himself, taking the wheel from Nami.

"Keep straight!" she yelled. "Don't let the wheel turn!"

Another wave hit the boat, and this time they heard a crash that couldn't be anything other than wood being torn from the ship. Nami worried about sinking, but then Merry nearly overturned and she was sliding down the deck, towards the railing and a black sea.

"NAMI!"

She caught herself, barely, on the mast. With much twisting and more flexibility than she thought she was capable of, Nami flipped herself around into a more stable position. She lifted one hand weakly to Sanji, who was still calling her name, to show him she was alright. Her shoulder wasn't too happy, but she wasn't hurt.

Nami turned to search for Zoro, who had also gone flying, and spotted him unconscious a few feet from her.

Another wave, a flash of lightning, and Zoro was gone. Her earlier terror returned tenfold.

"Zoro! NO!"

And Nami dove into the water after him.

The water was calmer under the surface, and Nami was able to swim easily. She kept her eyes open despite the salt stinging them horribly. Zoro was below her and sinking fast. Nami powered after him, kicking off her shoes and raincoat in order to go faster. Her shoulder screamed, her chest tightening from the pressure, but she kept going, catching up to him after several moments of desperate chasing.

She positioned herself behind Zoro, wrapping her arms around his chest and kicking upwards as hard as she could. They stopped sinking, but they didn't go upwards. Nami kicked again, pulling Zoro up as she did so, relieved when he started to float.

His sword with the white scabbard floated into her line of sight. Nami almost left it, but Zoro's voice came from the back of her mind and she had a sudden vision of a little girl with black hair holding the sword with a determined hand.

_This sword was hers. I keep it to remind myself of my promise._

Nami grabbed it and tucked it into her palm. It slowed them down even more, but for some reason she couldn't leave it. Her lungs burned, demanding oxygen, but she didn't let go of it. She pulled harder on Zoro, kicking weakly as her vision started to go black.

_"You're going to be the death of me woman! I can't even leave you alone for five seconds before you're in danger again!"_

_"One day I'll save your life and we'll be even."_

_"Don't even think about it."_

Pain exploded in her head. Nami's scream was muffled by the water, captured in bubbles that floated harmlessly away. Salt and water rushed into her mouth and she nearly choked, but she kept fighting upwards, pulling Zoro closer and closer to the light shining down on them.

Nami finally reached the surface, sucking in a deep lungful of air as she bobbed in the water. She adjusted Zoro so he floated beside her, tilting his head back so he could breathe. For a minute she didn't move, allowing her starved lungs to fill themselves with large gasps of wonderful, blessed oxygen.

The Going Merry was thankfully within swimming distance. The storm had calmed to only a partially dark sky and a few raindrops. She could see Luffy and Chopper, both on deck now, scanning the water for them. Nami lifted an arm and waved, spinning around to drag Zoro when they waved back.

Sanji and Usopp dove in to help as soon as she was shipside. Usopp had Luffy's hand and set about wrapping it around Zoro's middle so he could be pulled aboard. Sanji dove underwater to lift Nami, enabling her to reach the ladder dangling from the side. She climbed it with Zoro's sword between her teeth.

With a breath of relief, Nami collapsed dizzily onto the deck. Her breathing was still ragged, from the swim she assumed, and she felt more tired than she had been in a long time. Her head had started to pound again, but she couldn't tell if it was due to the lack of oxygen or the fact that she had been recovering from another dream when the storm hit.

Zoro sputtered and gasped, rolling onto his stomach, spitting out a mouthful of water and coughing violently. Chopper hovered over him anxiously but didn't touch him. Zoro needed to breathe more than anything.

"You... okay?" Nami gasped out.

Zoro turned sharply towards her, taking in her drenched appearance. "That was stupid," he said, gasping himself.

Nami just smiled. "Now we're even," she informed him with a tired grin.

Zoro froze, his breath coming out in a loud whoosh. He looked pale and Nami wondered if he was going to be sick. With superhuman effort Nami managed to throw her arm over her middle so her hand was closer to him. She still held the sword, which she held out with a smile.

"I didn't want you to lose this."

Zoro took it with a shaking hand, his eyes never leaving hers. Worry was etched into his gaze. "How did you..."

Nami felt her own eyes begin to close. "You promised," she reminded him. She didn't have the energy to fight the darkness that grabbed at her. Distantly she heard what sounded like a thin piece of wood- the sword- clattering to the deck, splashing as it landed in a puddle. Someone gently tapped her cheek.

"Nami?"

Zoro sounded worried. Why was he so worried? Nami was tired and wanted to sleep, but he tapped her cheek again, his other hand brushing her hair off her forehead, the motion and his touch familiar.

"Nami can you hear me?"

She couldn't find her voice to tell him that she could, so she lifted the corners of her mouth in a small smile, and gave in to the darkness.

* * *

><p>"She's starting to remember," a voice said quietly.<p>

"You don't know that," another voice answered.

"She told me we were even."

"So?"

"We didn't have that conversation until a month before..." he trailed off. "She's remembering," he insisted again. "It's the only way she'd know. She's in danger."

"We'll protect her," a new voice said determinedly. "We always protect her."

"Say she is remembering. What can we do? Nothing. We can't do a thing, Zoro. We can only distract her." There was sound like a match being struck, followed by a puff of air. "You're going to have to watch yourself. She's starting to notice a difference in you."

There was a heavy silence. "... she is?"

"The other day she told me you were sad."

A choked laugh. "That's one word for it."

"I'm serious Zoro, you need to be more careful. Otherwise-"

"I know Sanji," he said angrily. "I know _exactly_ what will happen, and it keeps me up every damn night." He took a breath. "We all have to watch ourselves. If even one person slips, and Nami catches it, she could remember everything."

"We know, but you need-"

"Right now Nami needs rest. And when she gets up, she needs praise, or a special meal, or whatever you can manage to keep her distracted. Don't let her so much as think about any of it, okay? Not a thing."

Another heavy silence. "... okay."

"Thank you," he said quietly. "And sorry."

"It's okay, Zoro. Nami needs all of us, especially you, so you have to keep smiling."

A small huff of air escapes his lips. "Aye, Captain."

"This is hard on all of us, and it's going to get harder, especially if she is starting to remember." The sound of a cigarette being ground out. "It's going to get worse for you, and you need to know that we're here for you. Both of you."

"Just watch her. Make sure she keeps breathing. I'm counting on you to keep her safe- from anything."

"Always," Luffy assured him.

"Including you?" Sanji inquired.

"_Especially_ me," Zoro answered.


	4. In Which Zoro Is Mad

Nami's aching, throbbing, pounding head made her rethink her wish of having normal nightmares. Although to be fair, she wasn't entirely sure that _that_ nightmare could be considered normal. Usually her nightmares, when she did have them, were pretty straightforward, involving Arlong and Bellemere. Now Nami had a new nightmare plaguing her.

After the storm, two things became apparent. The first was that the Going Merry needed repairs before they even thought about sailing anywhere. Usopp and Zoro were busy hammering away at the worst of the damage, repairing what they could with the little supplies they had. Usopp had ruefully admitted that if he hadn't tried to build The Great Captain Usopp's Great Catapult, they might have had enough wood to repair everything.

The second was that Nami needed a good long rest. This decision, which she protested at every chance, was made without her, and she was confined to the sickbay. Luffy, Chopper, and Sanji were taking turns making sure she didn't get out of the bed. When Nami asked if she should at least be confined to her own quarters, it was admitted that the storm had ripped a few planks from her walls and left her with a gaping hole in the corner.

Nothing had gotten ruined, but a lot of her stuff was soaked and covered in splinters. Sanji assured her that he had personally checked on her maps- they were fine.

The stitches in her shoulder had been ripped- rather painfully she might add- forcefully out during her swim/rescue, and had needed to be re-sewn. Chopper had decided to repair them while Nami was unconscious to spare her any unnecessary pain.

It worked until the nightmare had hit Nami.

According to Sanji, she had screamed once and then had begun thrashing around so violently he and Zoro were forced to hold her down. Chopper hadn't wanted to give her a sedative, but then Nami had screamed again, kicking Sanji in the face and very nearly punching Zoro in the jaw. The sedative was given reluctantly, and Nami had calmed down. She didn't so much as stir until the next day.

As soon as her eyes cracked open, her skull decided to split in two. Nami moaned in agony and clutched her head.

"Painkiller?" Sanji offered.

"Won't help." She bit her lip to keep from screaming. Her stomach rolled once, then twice, and Nami knew what was coming. "Bucket," she ordered.

Sanji got the basin and shoved it under her nose only seconds before anything Nami had in her stomach escaped. She coughed, spat, retched, and finally sat back, throat burning, eyes watering, her head nowhere near not hurting.

Luffy was apparently in the room too. He sat in the corner, foot twitching in effort to keep himself still, eyes wide, but his trademark grin wiped from his face. "Hi Nami," he said softly.

Nami raised a hand weakly. "Hey Luffy. What are you doing in here?"

Sanji leaned in to whisper. "They're repairing the ship and he kept breaking things, so he was sent to guard you."

It was such a normal reason that Nami had to laugh. Apparently she was the only one losing her mind. Although Zoro had been weirder than normal lately, despite assurances from the others that he was fine. Nami knew better than to ask Zoro about it; he'd lie right to her face to keep her from worrying.

Nami almost laughed at herself. Why would Zoro try to keep her from worrying?

Instantly her head exploded in pain again.

_"We need to get you to Chopper," she said, her voice pleading, eyes panicked._

_"I'm fine," he insisted, clutching his side tightly. Blood gushed between his fingers. "Get to the ship. Go. Now."_

_"I'm not leaving you!"_

_"I'll be dammed if I let him get you, now go!"_

When her world came back into focus, Sanji and Luffy were both hovering over her anxiously, their expressions a mixture of worry and confusion. Nami gave them a weak smile.

"My head hurts," she explained.

The worry line on Sanji's brow didn't go away. He turned to Luffy. "Get Chopper," he ordered.

Before Nami could protest, Luffy had bounded down the hallway, voice echoing throughout the entire ship. "She's awaaaaaaaaaaake! Chopper! Chopper! Chopper! Chopper!"

The hammering in the distance stopped.

Nami groaned, pulling her pillow over her face. Damn it, couldn't a girl be in pain in peace? Why did everyone have to come in and fuss over her? It was just a headache and some weird dreams. She could handle it by herself!

Abruptly, the pillow was ripped off her face. Nami glared up at Sanji, who grinned.

"No hiding from the doctor," he told her.

Nami stuck out her tongue. "Hey, how's Zoro? He was underwater for a while before I got to him."

Sanji tucked the pillow gently under her head. Nami realized with no small amount of shock that he wasn't smoking and wondered if his supply had gotten ruined in the storm.

"He's not hurt," he said, breaking her from her thoughts.

"He's angry isn't he?"

Now Sanji looked confused. "Angry?"

Nami nodded. "At himself. At me. At the storm. Take your pick." She glanced out the window. "He's mad at himself for being knocked out in the first place, and even more angry that he needed saving. He's mad at me because I went into the water after him and got hurt. He's mad at the storm for causing damage to the ship and making him fall overboard." Nami watched some gulls fly past the window. "Actually, he's probably mad at the world right now."

Sanji's voice sounded very small, almost like he was asking himself and not her. "How do you know all that?"

And Nami found she couldn't answer.

* * *

><p>After she had properly fussed over by the crew, been fed by Sanji, had a tale told to her about a red-headed hero and The Great Captain Usopp, laughed at Luffy puffing himself up like a balloon, and convinced Chopper she wasn't in any pain, Nami finally had a moment to herself.<p>

She couldn't remember her nightmare in great detail, but she remembered the main points. She and Zoro had been trapped on a strange island somehow, Zoro had been injured, and she wouldn't leave him. There was a flash of light, a flare of pain, and a man she didn't know. Then Nami had screamed in pain and Zoro had screamed in fury and launched himself at the man. Then nothing.

This wasn't an ordinary nightmare. It seemed real somehow, like a long forgotten memory resurfacing. But Nami couldn't remember the man's face, or why they were on a mysterious island, or why she and Zoro were alone, or even why Zoro had been hurt. She couldn't even remember Chopper treating the injury, and Zoro's side had been completely ripped open. A wound like that would have required knocking him out so he'd stay still and let himself heal.

The more she thought about it, the more it sounded like her nightmare hadn't been real at all.

But then why did the image of that man terrify her so much?

Nami tried to remember his face in hopes of at least getting a glimpse of this newest terror and maybe jogging her memory in the process. Did he have a beard? What color was his hair? His eyes? Did he have a hat? But there was nothing. The harder Nami tried to remember, the less clear the rest of him got.

The door banged open.

With a jolt, Nami was brought back from dreamland. Zoro was standing in the doorway. He looked angry, but his eyes were wider than normal and for a second he looked afraid. Then his expression became blank and he ripped the bandana off his arm as he crossed the room. He knelt beside the bed and pressed the cloth to her nose so gently Nami found she couldn't move.

"Hold this against your nose," he ordered gruffly. "I'm going to get Chopper."

"No!" Nami said quickly. Blood went into her throat and she almost choked. "No, don't get Chopper. It's just a nosebleed." But she took the bandana and obediently pressed it firmly against her nose.

Zoro sighed, annoyed. He pulled a chair closer and plopped down into it, looking at the floor instead of her. Nami knew he had something to say. She also knew he wasn't too good with words and waited for him to work it out, adjusting the bandana when blood began to trickle down her hand.

"Your dreams, what are they about?"

Nami was amazed she still had enough blood in her face to heat her cheeks.

"... what do you mean?" she asked carefully.

"When we brought you in here, you had a nightmare and you got sick afterwards. I found you on deck last week getting sick in the middle of the night. It's not that hard to figure out." The look in his eyes and the tone of his voice told her he wouldn't tolerate anything other than the truth.

Nami mentally cringed. Now what?

"Um," she started. "Well, first off they're just dreams. Second, they're private."

"Don't give me that," he cut in angrily. "Something's wrong with you Nami, and if you won't tell me, then at least tell someone or so help me-"

"Something's wrong with _me_? What about you? You've been sulking around the ship like some kind of ghost for the last six months! You're sad all the time and the only reason you talk to anyone is if they ask you a direct question."

Zoro actually growled. "I'm fine."

"That's a lie," Nami told him calmly. "You're lying to me. To my face." He only stared at her. "Whenever you lie, your bottom left eyelid twitches a little."

Nami had no idea how she knew that, but it was apparently true as Zoro suddenly looked ashamed and wouldn't look at her. She dropped his bandana and reached out, gently touching his cheek. Something like electricity zinged up her arm, but she ignored it.

"We all have our secrets," she told him. "I haven't told anyone about my dreams because I don't think it's any reason for anyone to worry."

"You get sick every time you have one," Zoro objected.

"Not every time. Just most of the time."

That didn't make Zoro feel any better.

Nami sighed, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "Look, I don't want to worry the others about this. They're still freaked that I passed out after the storm."

"Because you could have _died_, and you don't seem to care."

"How is it any different than when you rush into a battle and end up having your side almost ripped off?" she demanded.

Zoro's hand went to his side in shock. Nami went completely still and the ship was so silent she could almost hear Sanji doing the dishes in the kitchen.

Nami's mouth opened and then promptly snapped shut. This didn't make sense. Zoro's side injury was from her dream- it hadn't actually happened. She would have remembered. She would know if Zoro had actually almost gotten his side torn off, especially if she had been there.

Wouldn't she?

Before Zoro could protest or stop her, Nami had shoved his hand away and yanked up his shirt. She gasped, staring at the angry red scar that started at his chest and disappeared under the waistband of his pants. It was still fairly new and nearly as wide as Nami's hand.

"When did you get this?" she demanded.

Zoro batted her hand away before she could touch him, jerking his shirt back into place. "It doesn't matter," he said in a tone that said she'd better think it didn't matter either.

"I don't remember it," she told him.

Relief flooded his face. "Good."

Nami felt the anger overpower the confusion. "How is that good? I know every scar on you, and that one-" she jabbed a finger at his side "-wasn't there before."

"How would you know?" It wasn't asked in anger like she expected, but calmly, and with a hint of fear.

"I don't know!" Nami screamed. "I don't know how I know these things about you Zoro, but I do." Tears began to form. She wiped them away angrily.

Zoro's eyes were wide again and there was no mistaking the fear on his face. "What things?"

"Things!" Nami said. "Like... like when you're sad or angry or scared and no one else seems to notice. Or that when you get sick you get a really high fever and get delirious. And your sword belonged to your childhood rival. And you got that scar trying to save me from someone, but I don't know _who_-"

Zoro lunged forward, his hands closing around her arms in an almost painful grip. "Just stop Nami. Stop right now," he ordered, something that was dangerously close to total panic lacing his voice.

She had never seen Zoro like this. His hands were shaking, either from anger or fear, and his eyes were wild. It was the closest to losing control she had ever seen him. It scared her.

"None of that is real, do you hear me? None of it. You don't know anything." He released her and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him, leaving Nami to stare after him.

He was lying.


	5. In Which Everything Is Dammed

_"It's going to rain," she informed him, giggling as his lips hit the ticklish spot on her neck._

_"It's just water," he mumbled against her skin, lifting her briefly against him._

_It never ceased to amaze her how gentle he was with her. She's seen him cut men down without batting an eye, crush boulders with his fist, snap bones, anything and everything violent, but he touches her like she's the most precious thing in the world. His hands are rough and scarred, ghosting over her nearly flawless skin with barely a whisper of pressure._

_His fingertips brushed her stomach, inching her shirt up._

_"The crew could wake," she warned halfheartedly, already kissing her way down his jaw._

_"Luffy's the only clueless one," he paused to place a kiss above her heart, "and he sleeps like the dead."_

_Nami had another protest, she really did, but then those rough, deadly, gentle fingers pressed the sweet spot on her spine- just above the small of her back- and whatever she had been trying to say came out as a purr. She could feel Zoro's smirk and smirked herself as he pulled her shirt over her head, bending to kiss her again._

_Zoro's spot was the junction between his neck and shoulder. Nami only had to press on it and he was like puddy in her hands. Instead of pressing it, however, Nami stood on her tip toes and bit it hard enough to leave a mark._

_The rain poured down on deck, soaking them, but they were too absorbed in the feel of each other to notice or care._

_Nami was glad of the rain. It made everything feel exotic and new. And it insured that the crew wouldn't be on deck anytime soon._

Zoro was avoiding her. He had to be. Nami hadn't set eyes on him in two days- no small feat when they lived within shouting distance of each other. She had actually set off to find him at one point, returning hours later empty handed and frustrated. The ship was only so big, but Nami was positive she had searched everywhere.

Then again, if she had searched everywhere, she would have found him by now.

"Damn swordsman with his damn ninja skills," she muttered savagely, wolfing down her food like a starving woman. She could feel the crew (minus one green haired swordsman) watching her out of the corner of their eyes. It annoyed her that they thought she needed to be watched constantly. She might not be able to fight as well as the others, but she could handle herself, damn it, and she could sure as hell handle her own damn dreams.

No matter how embarrassing they got.

Nami sent up thanks to whatever had told her not to tell Zoro exactly what her dreams were about.

The thought of last night's dream turned her face the same color as her hair. Things had finally taken a turn for the scandalous, and Nami regretted ever wishing for it. The amount of detail was astounding and the pain was ten times worse than before. She had just barely made it out of bed in the morning. Her entire body ached, but her head, oh, her head. It had throbbed, pulsed, cracked in two, leaked her brain out of her ears, anything and everything it could do to hurt, it did. Her nose hadn't quit bleeding for almost two hours and she had very nearly gone to Chopper before the flow had finally ceased.

While dealing with the worst pain she'd ever felt in her life, Nami had quickly decided to quit looking for Zoro. She wasn't sure she could so much as look at him without hitting him, blushing, or screaming at him. Maybe all three. At the same time. It would serve him right to get punched across deck anyways.

Having eaten as much as she could stomach (which wasn't a lot- her appetite was suffering greatly and Sanji was getting even more worried and even more suspicious), Nami went back to the sickbay without a word to the others. Her room was still missing part of the wall, and they didn't have the supplies to fix it. Protesting wouldn't do much good, so Nami didn't see the point in having an argument about it. Plus it was further from the men's quarters, so she had less of a chance of running into Zoro.

Nami shook her head, irritated at herself.

That man was driving her crazy. First she wanted to find him, now she was trying to avoid him at all costs. Half the time she was so sad she wanted to cry, and half the time she was angry- at Zoro for obvious reasons, and herself because she had no idea why she was so sad in the first place. Her life was great, what was there to be sad about?

Other than Zoro.

With a noise of frustration, Nami stalked over to the table and furiously began charting. She very pointedly didn't look at the green bandana soaking in a basin by her elbow. She had half a mind to throw the damn thing overboard and make Zoro go swimming after it.

Without her consent her mind traveled to the night he almost drowned. It made her pulse stutter if someone even mentioned that night. She could have lost him. She almost did. Sanji and Usopp had both admitted that they didn't even see Zoro get knocked out, much less go overboard. If Nami hadn't been clinging to the mast she could have missed him too, and the toughest man she knew would have died without them knowing.

Zoro's life had been hanging by a thread and she had been the only one on the other end.

Nami didn't realize she was crying until a tear hit the paper. She stared at it in shock. The shock quickly melted into fury and Nami slammed her fists onto the table. Pain radiated up her arms, but it was better than feeling the mess of emotions she was feeling so she pounded the table again, more tears flowing the harder she hit.

"Damn it!" she roared, standing and kicking her stool across the room. "Damn it all! Damn my dreams, damn my emotions, and damn HIM!" She hurled her pen at the wall so hard it exploded.

Zoro wiped the ink off his cheek with irritating calmness and said nothing.

Nami froze at the sight of him, chest heaving, tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, hair wildly everywhere. She looked ready to kill someone. Zoro knew standing in front of her was a dangerous place to be, but he didn't move.

"Oh, so now you come find me," Nami snarled. "Where the hell have you been the past two days?"

"Avoiding you."

"Well you can keep doing it. I don't want to see you. Go away!" she demanded, voice shrill. She was on the verge of a breakdown and they both knew it. He was the last person she wanted to see, but he was the one she needed, even if he was the only one who knew that.

He didn't leave, partly because her words had frozen him were he stood, and partly because he was torn between obeying her and staying to make sure she wasn't going to trash the room or hurt herself.

Nami turned her back on him. "Just go." Her voice was somewhere between an order and a request, pleading and unsure and demanding all at once. Her shoulders were shaking and Zoro couldn't stop himself. He crossed the room in three strides and had her in his arms before he knew he was moving.

"It's going to be okay," he said.

Nami melted into him with a sob, burying her face in his chest to hide her tears and wondering why it felt like they'd done this before. "How do you know?"

He didn't know. Zoro didn't know how to make any of this better. Not for the first time, he felt the beginning waves of fear coursing through him. He held Nami tighter, dimly registering that she had at least stopped shaking, although she was clinging to him like her life depended on it, hands fisted in his shirt.

"Nami, you have to stop this," he said in a choked voice. "You have to stop all of it."

She almost asked how she was supposed to control her dreams, but when she looked up at him and saw the desperation in his eyes, felt his arms tight around her, heard the fear in his words, another question worked its way past her lips.

"Why?"

"You have to."

"But _why_? Why are some stupid dreams making everyone so worried?" She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Why are you so scared?"

He didn't even deny that he was afraid, which frightened her, but he said nothing to comfort her, only tightened his hold. Nami could feel his heart beating under her fingers, felt the way it sped up to match the erratic rhythm of her own heart before he even opened his mouth to answer her with what she was sure would be a lie.

And Nami couldn't help herself.

She threw her arms around his neck, pulling herself up so she was at his level, burrowing herself in his shoulder. His arms lifted her, supporting her like always and keeping her from falling. Nami breathed him in, the scent of salt and sky, clinging as tightly to him as she could. She didn't want to let go. Half of her thought she was starting to confuse dream Zoro with real Zoro (and a small part of her noticed that at the moment they were one and the same), but the other half was just glad he was here.

He was here and he was holding her just as tightly as she was holding him, his face now buried against her shoulder. He was the one shaking now, the one clinging to her, and Nami found that the last thing she wanted was for him to let go.

"Please," he begged her. "Please, just forget it all."

And then there was a loud voice from the deck that could be no one other that Luffy, a voice that called out as loud as it could, a single word that ripped Zoro and Nami apart.

"Marines!"

Everyone scrambled on deck. Nami stumbled going up the stairs, very nearly falling down them before Usopp caught and righted her. She didn't even get a chance to thank him before the ship rocked and wood rained down on them.

"They're firing at us!" Chopper yelled. "They hit the kitchen!"

Sanji's face went red with fury. "Those bastards!"

Zoro felt something different in the air. It wasn't weather related or Nami would have noticed and said something. No, this was different, a tingling on his skin. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He gripped his swords, already beside Nami. He knew what was coming, and if it was that damn-

There was a pop too quiet to be cannon fire. Everyone jumped, turning to study the short man that had quite literally appeared out of thin air. He had black hair swinging around his shoulders, dark eyes, a goatee, and he studied them right back, individually and while muttering under his breath. He looked hard at Nami, who flinched. She clutched her head and moaned. The throbbing had returned.

_"I'm not leaving you!"_

_"I'll be dammed if I let him get you, now go!"_

_"You're not going anywhere, Pirate."_

_"What are you doing- Nami! NO!"_

Nami couldn't stop the scream. She couldn't stop her knees from folding, or the rest of her from following. She couldn't stop herself from tumbling head first down the stairs. Her head slammed into one step, then two, her arm twisted painfully under and around her, her shoulder getting ripped from its socket, her foot popping painfully when it got caught on the banister.

She was spared from hitting the deck by a large hand cradling the back of her head, an arm around her waist, and a shoulder between her and the unforgiving wood. Another cannon fired, more splinters raining down on them.

The small man hurried over. "Hold on to her tightly," he told Zoro, "or she'll get left behind."

The tingling surrounded Zoro again. He paid it no mind, turning instead to the redhead in his arms.

"Nami?"

Her face was bruised, her nose was bleeding, her shoulder was dislocated, and her ankle was swelling. But her neck wasn't broken. Her heart was still beating and she was still breathing. She was still alive. Hurting and unconscious, but alive.

"Nami please wake up."

There was another pop, then the entire ship, crew included, was suddenly parked on a lawn. A house sat in the distance, smoke pouring merrily from the chimney. The crew coughed as the smoke cleared, studying their new surroundings in confusion. Hadn't they just been at sea being attacked by marines?

Usopp was the first to realize, turning to the mysterious man in surprise and a bit of suspicion.

"You're a magician." It wasn't a question.

Zoro immediately became tense, cradling Nami closer. She moaned and stirred. Her eyes fluttered open. She smiled at Zoro then hissed in pain, not sure what hurt the most. Zoro brushed the hair off her forehead, clearing her vision.

"Where do you hurt?" he demanded, visibly shaken.

"Everywhere," Nami deadpanned.

Chopper made his way to them. He glanced at the magician warily as he passed, but said nothing to the man, intent on reaching his patient.

Luffy wasn't too happy to see the magician, which struck Nami as odd. Usually everyone they met was Luffy's friend until they proved otherwise. As far as she could tell, this man had saved them from being blown away by cannons, yet everyone was treating him as if he had set the Marines on them in the first place.

The magician became aware of the distrust. He gathered his long black hair into a low ponytail. "My name is Tamlin," he began, already knowing the questions that would be coming. "This is my home. That's my house, and you're on Lonni Island. I'm a magician, but I'm not going to hurt any of you. In fact," he turned to face the three down the steps, paying no mind to the way Zoro stiffened, "I'm going to help you if I can."

Nami jerked in Zoro's arms, just barely stopping herself from kicking Chopper in the face when he touched her ankle. "Help us?" she asked. "Why?"

Tamlin's face darkened. "Because I hate it when magic is used for evil," he growled. "It's not right and it's most definitely not fair to those who can't protect themselves against it." He looked pointedly at Zoro, then at Nami.

_I can help her,_ Tamlin's voice said in the men's heads.

"Zoro you've gone pale," Nami said worriedly, trying to sit up.

"Don't move," Chopper and Zoro ordered at the same time.

_Trust me. I can help_, his voice said again.

And Luffy walked up to Tamlin, shook his hand, and smiled. "I'm Luffy," he said, still more serious than Nami had seen him be in a long time. "This is my crew, The Straw Hat Pirates. Can you really do it?"

"Do what?" Nami asked.

Tamlin nodded gravely at Luffy. "I promise you, all of you, that I will do everything in my power to help."

He sent a thought to Zoro and Zoro only. The swordsman flinched slightly. Magic had always affected him easily. Sometimes it could actually hurt him. Zoro hated magic. He couldn't beat it with his swords, he couldn't see it, and he couldn't use it for himself. The only thing he could do with magic was watch. Watch as it tore his life apart before his eyes.

_I'm so sorry. I'll put everything I have into breaking the curse. I swear._

"Come inside," Tamlin said. "You can use any supplies to repair your ship, and I have a large medical supply you're welcome to if you don't want me to heal any wounds. Just be careful if you go in the kitchen. Some of that stuff explodes."

"Damn magic," Zoro muttered.

Tamlin just smiled. He snapped his fingers and the crew found themselves inside the house. He gave Nami an apologetic look when her pained groan was heard. "Sorry about that, but magic doesn't work well on you, so I have to double it up. Otherwise you'd be alone on the ship right now."

Nami didn't open her eyes, afraid the light would make her head explode. "Damn magic," she said.

Tamlin kneeled beside her. "That is one nasty curse you have on you," he said thoughtfully.

Nami's eyes flew open. "What curse?" she demanded. "I'm cursed?"

Tamlin nodded gravely. "Afraid so."

All the magic abruptly caught up with Nami. Her body protested violently by making her unceremoniously throw up all over Zoro's shoes. She was aware of pain in her head, the crew calling her name, of magic crackling through the air and surrounding her. Then blissful nothingness.


	6. In Which Nami Realizes

_The confession wasn't full of poetry or flowers. It wasn't whispered into her ear or shouted to the world. The celestial choir didn't sing down from heaven and birds didn't chirp in the background. No, it was blurted out on deck on a day that threatened rain while she was checking the current and the crew was within hearing distance._

_"I love you."_

_Three simple words said in a deep baritone that she knew too well. He said it quickly, like he had been holding it back too long and it had just all spilled out at once. He said it simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, even as his face betrayed his fear._

_Nami thought her heart would stop._

_It had barely been a year since they had decided to try a relationship. The crew knew, because the crew always found out secrets no matter how hard people tried to keep them. Luffy, naturally, was the last to realize and even then Sanji had to spell it out for him after Nami had kissed Zoro out of the blue in the kitchen one day._

_Sanji had also offered to kill Zoro to defend her honor, whatever that meant._

_Now everyone had turned to stare at Zoro, but he only saw Nami, the way her eyes were round with shock, her lips parted slightly, hand dangling in the air, frozen inches from the parchment she had been reaching for._

_Then she launched herself at him and he fell backwards onto the deck. He couldn't even get out a noise of surprise because his mouth was otherwise occupied._

_"Let's go into the kitchen Luffy," Usopp said quietly._

_"But I wanna know what happens!"_

_Sanji lit another cigarette. "She loves him back. Isn't it obvious?"_

Zoro caught her before she could hit the floor.

"Enough," he said to Tamlin. "No more. Can't you see what this is doing to her?"

Nami, clinging to Zoro to avoid becoming a heap on the floor, said nothing. She concentrated on breathing in her nose, out her mouth- a technique Chopper had taught her. She didn't want a repeat of the other day. Throwing up in front of everyone had been bad enough, but getting it all over Zoro? That had been downright embarrassing.

"It'll pass," Tamlin said firmly. "This is what I need to see anyways. For some reason the curse isn't working right."

"What... what do you mean?" Nami asked dizzily.

Zoro lowered her gently to a stool. His hand stayed on her back in case she toppled over again, tracing reassuring circles between her shoulder blades. Nami thought briefly about asking him to stop (the others were staring), but it felt good, and she didn't really want him to anyways.

Tamlin was studying her again, eyes unfocused like he was seeing through her. "If the curse was working properly, you would have been dead when you started having these dreams."

Zoro's hand stopped moving.

"Dead?" Usopp and Chopper chorused.

Tamlin nodded thoughtfully. "That's what the curse is supposed to do, but it's not working correctly. Your body is so unresponsive to magic that it's battling the curse like an illness. Right now it's winning," he was hasty to assure everyone. "But there are some cases where the pain is intense, am I right?"

Nami grimaced. Zoro's fingers pressed gently on her back, the warmth seeping through her shirt. "Sometimes I pass out. Or get sick." She glanced apologetically to her left. Zoro didn't look at her, squeezing her shoulder instead.

"Is she in danger?" he asked.

"Oh yes. Very much so. But it's odd."

"What is?"

Tamlin's brow furrowed. "It's like I said, Nami should be dead right now. Imagine the curse like a dome around her cerebral cortex. It prevents the synapses from connecting in the correct order, so they fire off in different directions instead. A few of them cling to their original order and are penetrating the dome, causing the visions."

Several blank faces gazed at him.

Then Usopp blinked. "So... the curse is like a wall around Nami's mind, and instead of going around it like they're supposed to, the thingies in her brain are going..." he lifted his hand, raising it slightly and then swooping it over an invisible object "...over it?"

Tamlin sighed at the word 'thingies', but nodded. "Yes exactly."

Luffy munched on a chicken leg and looked thoughtful. Sanji didn't even ask where it- the chicken leg or the thoughtfulness- had come from. Chopper took off his hat to scratch his head between his antlers.

"The curse affects her mind," the reindeer muttered. "That would explain the headaches and nosebleeds, but not the vertigo or the fainting."

"Yeah, why do I faint?" Nami wanted to know.

Before Tamlin could open his mouth, Luffy spoke up. "You passed out last time you were sick."

Zoro frowned. "That doesn't have anything to do with this." He looked at the magician. "Does it?"

"Actually, it does. Nami's body resists magic. She's naturally immune to it. To her, magic is like a virus."

The light dinged above Chopper's head. "Oh! So her body is fighting it like it would fight bacteria."

Nami started to understand as well. "And because the curse is in my mind, my body doesn't know when to quit fighting it." She pondered that for a minute. That explained a lot. The curse was affecting her mind, which is why she was having strange dreams, and her body was fighting the curse like she was sick, which was why she kept getting ill.

Sanji blew a smoke ring. "So why does Nami have these dreams when she's awake then?"

Tamlin frowned slightly, making Zoro tense. "I'm not entirely sure. You said you have them randomly?"

"Yeah," Nami nodded. "At first they were just dreams, but lately I've started having them when I'm awake. Standing on deck, swimming, charting maps, wherever, whenever. Even if it's the middle of the day, they'll pop up."

Usopp was thinking so hard his head was almost entirely sideways. Luffy was mimicking him, still chewing. "Maybe the wall around your mind is crumbling," he offered half to himself.

"That would explain it," Tamlin muttered. He tilted his head as well. "But it should also kill her."

"Wait, wait," Nami threw up her hands. "If there's a wall around my mind, then that means the curse is keeping something from me, right?" Tamlin nodded. "Then _what_ is it keeping from me?" During the experiments, that little detail had been carefully skipped over and avoided.

The men all looked to Zoro.

Nami turned to him as well, confused.

And then everything fell into place.

Zoro knew the second it happened. He knew the very second that it all clicked in Nami's mind. Without a word he took her hand, pulling her to her feet and leading the stunned navigator out the door.

"Take a walk with me."

* * *

><p>He led her outside, across Tamlin's lawn, past the ship, and into the woods. They went off the path, getting deeper and deeper into the trees as they walked. Nami knew she should pay attention, otherwise they'd get lost, but the only thing on her mind was Zoro.<p>

He hadn't let go of her hand while they were walking and held it even after they stopped, his thumb running gently across her knuckles. Nami made no move to remove it and squeezed once gently before speaking up.

"They're real aren't they?"

Zoro's heart began to pound. He kept his back to her, his large hand tightening around her small one. He answered her quietly, one word spoken to the trees with such emotion that he could have been screaming.

"Yes."

Nami's hand jerked in his grasp. He loosened his grip in case she wanted to let go, but she kept her hand where it was. Her breath was coming faster, her head starting to spin, her heart hammering away in her chest.

It was real. All of it.

"They're not dreams. They're memories. Memories of your past. Our past." He looked at her then. His eyes were so sad Nami thought she might cry. Then she saw the moisture in his own eyes, felt the way his hand was shaking in hers. "You're dreaming about when we were together."

"It's all true," she breathed.

"Yes."

"Every bit of it."

"Yes."

Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. "Then why did you want me to forget?"

"I didn't-"

"Did I do something?" she demanded. "Did you get tired of me?"

"I didn't make this happen! I never wanted it to happen! All I wanted was to spend the rest of my life with you and then you were taken from me."

She tore her hand from his, stepping back when he turned to fully face her. Her entire body began to shake, her tears falling faster from under her lashes. She was confused and she was scared. And she had figured something out.

The curse had taken away her memories of being with Zoro. Every memory of them together was gone, bleeding through in her dreams. Her dreams had started months ago, the same time Zoro had started avoiding her. He had started avoiding her because he thought she was remembering. Before that he had been the same, which meant he was protecting her. Which led Nami to another realization.

Her memories had been taken from her- stolen from her.

But they had been the only thing taken.

"Every time I dreamt, you told me to forget," she said. "I want to know why."

Zoro's eyes closed. His hands clenched into fists. "He said it would kill you if you remembered."

Nami didn't need to ask who. She saw the man from her nightmare: unclear face, voice mocking, calling her pirate. Zoro telling her to run while he bled on the ground at her feet. The faceless man with a cruel laugh and magic about him... he had done this.

_"You will both suffer greatly."_

_"Don't hurt her! Kill me if you have to, but leave her alone!"_

Nami bit her lip against the pain in her head. Fear raced across Zoro's features. He gripped her by the shoulders, holding her steady when she swayed. She latched onto him, her blunt fingernails digging into his arms. She shook her head to clear it, trying to see him through the pain.

"I'm the one that was cursed," she whispered, "but you were the one who suffered."

Zoro hadn't been cursed, but he had been there. He had watched as her memories of them had been ripped from her head. He had stayed on the ship, living with her as his heart had bled. Nami had gone about life like they had never happened because, to her, they never had.

But Zoro had remembered. He had known. He carried every memory of them together with him, alone.

How much pain had that caused him?

"I'm sorry," she sobbed out. "I'm so sorry."

And Nami found herself in Zoro's arms like she had never left.

"It's not your fault," he said into her hair. "Don't ever think that. None of this is your fault."

Nami tasted tears when he kissed her. She wasn't sure if they were his or hers, but she kissed him back, then again, and then once more to try and remember. It was familiar, all of it, but her mind stayed blank.

She didn't remember falling in love with Zoro. She didn't remember the first time they kissed or made love. She didn't remember sneaking around the ship like thieves or holding hands under the table. But she loved Zoro all the same.

She might have forgotten loving him, but she had never stopped.

* * *

><p>Tamlin was pouring over a book when Usopp jumped like he had been hit. He rubbed the back of his head and started muttering under his breath, his fingers digging into his scalp as his thoughts raced around.<p>

Sanji eyed him. "What bit you?"

"The curse was supposed to make Nami forget loving Zoro and kill her if she ever remembered, right?"

Everyone exchanged glances.

"Right," Luffy said sullenly.

"I think I know why her dreams aren't killing her."

Tamlin threw the book over his shoulder and wheeled his chair over to Usopp. "Why?"

"Because to her they're nothing but dreams. If she remembers anything, she's remembering it as a dream she had, not as something that actually happened." He looked at Tamlin. "She's not dead because she's not remembering. She's just dreaming."

Sanji's cigarette fell from his lips. Smoke began to curl up from the floor, but none of them noticed.

Tamlin almost looked hopeful. "She dreams but doesn't remember." He slapped his knee. "Of course! It's like a loophole in the curse! Nami can dream about everything all she likes. It won't kill her! It might make her sick, but she'll live because she's not actually remembering!" He jumped up, rushing over to the bookcase in the corner, scanning the titles. "And because she's almost entirely immune to magic the curse might not have been applied properly anyways." He grabbed a book, studying it for a second before tossing it on the floor.

Luffy hopped in Tamlin's abandoned chair and began to spin himself. "What does that mean?" he asked the others as they blurred past. "This is fun," he said, spinning faster. "Is the curse broken now?"

"No, but Nami can know without remembering," Sanji said in awe. "She can know everything and it won't kill her."

Usopp was still rubbing his head. "Why was she cursed in the first place?" he wondered out loud.

Chopper suddenly noticed the lit cigarette on the floor and rushed to stomp it out. He got Sanji's foot in the process, prompting some colorful swears from the cook.

"Watch it!"

"The floor was on fire!"

"Please don't destroy my house," Tamlin said worriedly over his shoulder, just as Luffy spun out of control. He flew out of the chair and into, then through, the wall and onto the lawn. He popped up after a second, laughing.

"That was awesome!" he cheered. "I'm gonna do it again!"

Tamlin quickly sat in the chair again. Luffy pouted.

"No fair! I wanna spin!"

Usopp heard none of the crew's antics. He was completely lost in thought. Nami was in the clear for now- at least, he hoped she was. Neither she nor Zoro had come back yet. Hopefully that meant they were talking or doing something he really didn't want to think too much about. (Although the thought of them back together after everything was enough to make him smile.)

The curse hadn't worked on Nami, at least not all the way. The man who cursed her obviously hadn't known about Nami's immunity to magic, otherwise the curse would have been more powerful. And Nami would be dead. But that still left one question: why? Why, out of every couple in the world, had Nami and Zoro been chosen to be cursed? Why, specifically, had Nami been cursed?

Tamlin muttered a spell under his breath and Luffy froze.

"I can't move!"

Sanji turned to the magician. "Teach me how to do that. Please."

The supposed Pirate King blanched. "No fair using magic on pirates!"

"Pirates are people," Tamlin argued with a laugh.

Magic on pirates. Usopp fell off his chair in shock. The legend he had told the crew, the story he had mentioned weeks ago without even _thinking_ about it. It was true. It had to be. Magic on pirates. A couple suffering. No, two _pirates_ suffering.

Nami with her head tilted to the sky all those weeks ago. _"Why does everyone take it out on the pirates?"_

"That's it!" Usopp screamed. The room fell silent. "He cursed Nami because she was a pirate and Karina was a pirate and he blamed all pirates for everything after she left and he hates pirates so he can't stand when they're happy so he cursed Nami to make her forget!"

Tamlin turned white. "What did you say?"

"He cursed Nami-"

"The woman's name," Tamlin interrupted. He almost seemed angry. "What was her name?"

Usopp blinked, thrown for a loop. "K... Karina," he said, glancing at the others. "She was-"

"I know who she was. I knew her personally." Tamlin sank heavily into his chair. "She was supposed to marry my brother Markus over two hundred years ago."

Luffy's eyes bugged almost comically. "How old are you?" he wanted to know.

Sanji smacked his head. "That's not the point!"

Tamlin smiled ruefully. "I think I'd better explain. Let's wait for Zoro and Nami to return, and then I'll tell you about a magician, a pirate, a love cursed from the beginning, and two brothers cursed in return."


	7. In Which Tamlin Tells

"You fell for me once and it was amazing," Zoro told her, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "You fell for me again and it's incredible."

Nami smiled, standing on her tip toes to kiss him lightly. "I didn't fall for you again," she corrected. "I just never stopped." Her smile faltered a bit. "I wish I could remember everything. It kills me not knowing."

"It'll kill you if you do remember. You know and even that's pushing it."

"I don't know everything," Nami protested. "Just bits and pieces."

"I'll tell you the important parts," Zoro promised. "Where's my shirt?"

Nami let out a frustrated sigh. "In the tree," she said. "Zoro, every bit of our lives together is important. I want to know every detail, not just the big picture." She watched as he climbed a few branches to grab his shirt and wondered how it had gotten up there in the first place.

Then she remembered and she had to fight the laugh. And the blush.

"I can see your shirt from here," Zoro announced.

Nami had forgotten that she was standing in the middle of the forest in her bra and hurried to find the rest of her clothes. Knowing her luck someone would walk by and spot them. She could charge them money for seeing her half naked, but she had a feeling Zoro might stab someone.

Nami glanced around, searching for her left sandal among the greenery.

"I'm missing a shoe," she said when she heard him drop back to the ground.

"Just a shoe."

Nami gave him A Look. Zoro didn't know if he should laugh or sigh, so he settled for being indifferent and headed in the direction he thought he had thrown the object in. He came back a few minutes later empty handed to Nami dangling his boot from her fingers.

"Found yours," she said. "Where's mine?"

Zoro shrugged. "Forest ate it."

Nami sighed. "Figures. I really liked these shoes too." She handed his boot over. "You're buying me a new pair."

Zoro just grinned at her.

"What?"

"Nothing," he said quietly, laughter in his voice.

Nami hugged him from behind, draping herself over his shoulders and burrowing into that scent of salt and sky. Had he always smelled this good?

"Tell me," she murmured into his neck.

Zoro traced the faint scar on her hand with a fingertip, remembering how she had stabbed through her own hand to save Usopp. "Us," he said. "Sliding back into a relationship after all this time." He felt Nami flinch and held her in place. "It's amazing. And not your fault."

"I'm the one who forgot," Nami said miserably. "It hurt you. _I_ hurt you."

Zoro turned to kiss her. "Yeah it hurt, but I'd rather have you not knowing and alive than aware and dead. Besides, we're together, you're alive- that's all that matters." He kissed her again, amazed that she still tasted the same.

Nami's mouth curved against his before she broke away to climb on his back. "We'd better get back before the others get the wrong idea."

"Or the right one," Zoro added, adjusting her so she wasn't kicking his swords. Nami wiggled her toes, shrieking when he tickled her bare foot and nearly losing her grip.

"If you drop me I'm fining you," she warned.

His hands were warm under her knees when he squeezed gently. He gave her a smile that reminded Nami why she had fallen for him and that she couldn't help but return.

"Maybe a monkey stole your shoe," Zoro mused aloud.

Nami had a sudden image of a furry monkey strutting around in red high heels and matching purse in a tree in front of other monkeys. She collapsed fully against Zoro in gales of laughter that echoed throughout the forest.

* * *

><p>"My brother is a great magician, but a terrible man. He used to be different- kind and loving. He helped people no matter where they came from or what they did for a living. We were a team. I healed people and he gave them a place to stay, found them jobs, whatever he could until they could get back out in the world."<p>

The Straw Hats were silent. Luffy was even sitting perfectly still, hanging on Tamlin's every word. Sanji glanced at Zoro and Nami's joined hands and hid a smile by lighting a cigarette. The phrase 'meant to be' came to mind. He knew Zoro didn't believe in divine intervention or anything like that, but something sure was on their side.

After everything, the curse, the memory loss, the months of drawing away and apart, the fear and constant uncertainty, Nami and Zoro were together again. And if he could do anything about it, Sanji was going to make sure they stayed that way this time.

Even if he had to kill that magician himself.

"Markus met Karina after her crew had a run-in with some marines just off the island. She was banged up pretty bad. Markus found her, brought her in to me for healing and stayed to make sure she was alright." His eyes had a faraway look. "She had long white hair and these brilliant blue eyes that looked to Markus the second they opened."

He could still see it like they were both there in front of him. The beautiful pirate and his scruffy older brother locking gazes like lovesick teenagers. Tamlin had teased Markus for a week before Markus had finally worked up the courage to ask her to dinner.

Karina stayed for a month while she healed, and another two weeks to make sure every member of her crew was alright. Tamlin had never met a pirate so kind, or a woman who could make his brother smile like she could.

Markus and Tamlin were very close and spoke every day, but in the month and a half that Karina was there, Tamlin made himself scarce. Karina always extended the invitation to him, and Markus tried to insist, but Tamlin knew better and let them have their time alone.

"They were together almost every minute of every day, laughing and talking about everything." Tamlin smiled faintly. "People say it's impossible to fall in love so quickly, but Markus and Karina were living proof. They fell fast and hard for each other, and neither of them knew what to do about it. Karina wasn't meant for land and Markus had never sailed a day in his life."

Tamlin remembered Markus in the last few days of Karina's stay. He was trying to be brave, smiling and joking around like always. But Tamlin knew his brother, and he knew that when Karina left it would break him. To him the answer was blindingly simple. Obvious even. Markus should marry and leave with Karina.

"I can't leave you- you're my little brother!" Markus had protested when Tamlin suggested it. "Besides, I can't sail or fight. I'd get somebody killed."

"You can learn," Tamlin argued. He grabbed a book off the shelf and tossed it to his brother. "Read that. It'll teach you almost everything you need to know about sailing. The rest you can learn once you're out to sea."

"Tamlin, I know you're only trying to help, but it's not going to work."

"You don't know that," Tamlin insisted. "Learn to sail! Learn how to use magic to defend yourself and go with Karina. You love her don't you?"

Markus looked shocked that Tamlin could suggest otherwise. "Of course I do!"

"Then learn."

Markus couldn't learn everything overnight and they all knew it. It would take months for him to become a passable sailor, and who knew how long to turn his magic into a defense mechanism instead of parlor tricks. There was no way he could leave with Karina. To Tamlin's dismay, the pirate had agreed with Markus.

"In one year I'll be sailing back this way. I'll come back for Markus then." She looked to Tamlin. "Are you sure you want to stay? We could use a doctor. You and Tamara are both welcome."

Tamlin shook his head. "I don't think Tamara would like it if I just went off to sea two weeks before our wedding- even if she came along. Besides, if I come with you, Markus will get all jealous and stuff."

Markus laughed and took a playful swing at him. "Will not!"

"So Karina left. For a year Markus learned everything he could about sailing, magic, and even healing. I was determined to stay on the island and live a normal life; he was determined to leave and sail around the world. He got stronger than either of us thought he would, but he stayed Markus. He stayed my brother. He was the best man at my wedding and he was there when my son was born."

Sanji ground out his cigarette. The hiss of the ember dying was the only sound in the house.

"And then it was time for Karina to return. We weren't sure of the exact date, so Markus went to wait by the docks every day. He went and waited for six weeks before he stopped going. He was smiling sadly every time he came back, saying she must have been delayed for a little while, that he heard there were some storms just off the coast and she was probably trying to avoid them, or there were marines nearby, or something had come up."

Three months passed without word from Karina. Up to that point she had been sending letters whenever she could, but because she never had a constant address Markus could never write her back. There were never many letters, maybe one or two a month, but they were delivered each time without fail.

But the letters stopped.

"We waited for a year. We were afraid she had been captured or killed, but none of the marines we saw knew anything. Karina was pretty famous, and if something had happened we would have heard. But there was nothing. As far as anyone knew, Karina The Kind and her crew were sailing the Four Blues.

"Then another year passed, and Markus lost his mind. He withdrew from everyone, started drinking. He wouldn't even talk to me. Then one day he burned his house to the ground and left without saying goodbye. For the longest time I thought he had died in the fire even though we couldn't find a body."

Tamlin smiled bitterly out the window. "It was almost a year later before I found out. A pirate was brought to me one day, half dead, but he told me how someone had just appeared on his ship and destroyed it. The crew was killed in seconds, the captain was drowned, and only one man made it out alive."

Usopp found his voice. "How? Destroying a ship in seconds is impossible."

"Markus had begun dabbling in dark magic. And he sold his soul for the power to destroy pirates." Tamlin glanced at them. "Do you know what happens when you sell your soul?"

Nami shivered. She'd heard stories about people who sold their souls. How people had become rich or famous or powerful overnight without any explanation. How they were on top of the world for years and years. How they fell into depression or went crazy. How every person who ever sold their soul died horrible deaths within ten years.

"Markus wanted more than ten years to hunt pirates. He wanted forever."

Chopper shook his head. "No one can live forever. Lots of people have tried to find a way, but no one's ever succeeded."

"Markus found a way. He used black magic to transfer my soul to himself and then sold it for eternal life."

"And because it was your soul, you got forever too," Nami realized.

Tamlin nodded. "I didn't want forever. I still don't. More than anything I want to die, to be buried with my parents, my wife and children..." He trailed off as his voice broke, falling silent to compose himself. "The deal was that no weapons could kill Markus, and he had already perfected an Immunity spell and an Age Spell to keep himself from getting old or sick."

"So he can't die?" Luffy asked.

"Oh, he'll die," Zoro growled. "He'll die when I run him through with my swords."

"Swords won't work on Markus."

"Then we'll find something that will."

Tamlin frowned. "So far nothing's worked. He's still out there, sinking ships, cursing people..."

"Ruining lives," Zoro muttered. His fingers tightened around Nami's.

"So for two hundred years your brother has been roaming the entire world and killing people because he got his heart broken." Usopp summarized.

"Pretty much."

"Why didn't Karina show in the first place?" Nami wanted to know.

"I don't know," Tamlin said sadly. "I still don't."

_Because pirates never keep their word_, a voice answered in their heads. Nami's skull exploded in pain, ten times anything she'd ever felt before. Blood gushed from her nose and out her ears, dripping onto the floor to soak into the wood. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

Tamlin surged to his feet. "Markus!"

Markus didn't even spare his brother a glance. He raised his hand and tossed everyone through the wall without touching them. Sanji felt a rib snap. Usopp heard his shoulder dislocate. Zoro tasted blood. Nami didn't move.

"Pity," Markus said coldly to Nami. "If you weren't a pirate you'd be lovely."

"Get away from her!" Zoro roared, drawing his swords and charging for Markus so fast the others didn't even see him move. Markus waved a hand like he didn't have a care in the world and froze Zoro in midair.

"I'll deal with you later," Markus promised. "But for now, I think someone wants to remember."

Luffy's fist smashed into Markus's face and the magician went flying. "I know you can't die," Luffy told him, "but I'll bet that hurt!" He retracted his arm. "I'll fight you, and I'll find some way to beat you."

Chopper used Markus's distraction as a chance to scurry over to Nami. If he changed forms he could carry her deep into the forest and away from the fight. Markus needed to touch Nami to break the curse, so if she wasn't within reaching distance, she should be safe.

Determined to carry Nami away from danger, Chopper ran to his friend as something exploded behind him. There were no cries of pain and Luffy was laughing, so Chopper didn't stop. He knew everyone had a single thought on their minds: get Nami away from Markus. And if Chopper was the only one who could do it, then he would. He reached Nami without faltering, gently turning her onto her back to pick her up.

Chopper froze at the sight of Nami's blank, glassy eyes staring straight ahead at nothing. He dropped to his knees when he saw she wasn't breathing. And when he found that she had no pulse, Chopper screamed.


	8. In Which There Is Death And Life

To say Nami was surprised to be standing beside herself would have been a massive understatement. Colossal even. But she was. Nami was standing just behind Chopper, staring at her own body on the ground at her feet. Logically Nami knew if this was real she was probably dead, which meant her heart wasn't beating, but she could have sworn her blood froze for just a second.

She managed to make her throat work. "Chopper can you hear me?" It came out as mostly a whisper, so she tried again. "Chopper?"

The reindeer didn't acknowledge her. He kept doing chest compressions, tears running down his face the harder he pressed. "Don't give up yet Nami," he begged.

"Chopper I'm right here!" Nami yelled in his ear. Abruptly realizing that, even if he could hear her, having her spirit scream at him wouldn't be the most reassuring thing in the world, Nami bit her lip in effort to keep quiet. She watched as Chopper battled to keep her heart beating for what seemed like an eternity.

Then Chopper sat back with a sob, tears flowing freely down his face.

"I'm sorry Nami," he whispered. "I failed you."

Nami knew he couldn't hear her, but that didn't stop her from trying to comfort him. "You did what you could Chopper. This isn't your fault." She reached out to pat his shoulder, only to have her hand pass through him. Nami quickly jerked her hand back.

"I'm sorry," Chopper cried.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Zoro had seen her body.

He was covered in blood, but for once it wasn't his. Nami knew enough about the human body to know that there was no way Markus could be alive after losing that much blood. But he was still standing, smirking at the furious Zoro and tossing Luffy and the others around with magic. Usopp was hidden in the trees, pelting the magician with shots, but none of them even touched him.

Tamlin ran over to Chopper, passing through Nami- which freaked her out a bit- and kneeling beside her body. His fingers began to glow blue, getting brighter as he muttered under his breath. A shield raised around them, deflecting the bolt of magic Markus had shot at them.

Zoro separated Markus's head from his body with one swing. The body flailed for a moment, then knelt down and started groping around for the head. Sanji kicked it as hard as he could, smirking in grim satisfaction when Markus's cheekbone folded like wet paper under his heel.

"I'll kill you," Markus promised the cook.

"Talking head!" Luffy shrieked.

Zoro studied the body with eerie calmness before slashing four times as he blurred past. Markus's arms and legs popped cleanly from his torso, his hands diving for the swordsman. Sanji paused for a second at the sight of a leg coming at him, but managed to dodge the kick at the last second.

Nami thought of Buggy and meeting Luffy for the first time and almost smiled.

"I'll bury your body in as many pieces as I can slice," Zoro growled, blades flashing ominously in the sunlight.

Suddenly, everything stopped. Markus's head had frozen mid laugh. Luffy was lunging for a hand, teeth bared like he was going to bite it. Usopp's slingshot had just seconds before let out another shot- the ball was still in the sling, but Usopp had already let go. Sanji was in midair, leg extended, almost connected with the disembodied limb he was aiming for.

Nami blinked. "What the hell...?"

A hand squeezed her shoulder, and although the touch was gentle, a scream ripped from Nami's throat. She jumped up, then away, the Clima Tact in her hands before she turned to face whoever or whatever had grabbed her. She might be dead, but she could still put up a hell of a fight!

Then it registered who was standing in front of her.

"Karina," Nami breathed. _Dead. I'm definitely dead._

Karina looked exactly as Tamlin had described her. Pale, white hair, eyes more blue than Nami thought possible. She was dressed in obvious pirate garb from back in the day. Long trench coat, pants tucked into boots, button up shirt. She even had a big hat with a fluffy white feather stuck in the brim- the kind of hat Luffy would be jealous of.

She smiled kindly at Nami.

"Hello Nami," she said in a voice that carried across the distance easily. "There's no need for introductions is there? We already know each other."

"I guess," Nami said suspiciously. "But _how_ do you know me?"

Karina's smile turned sad. "I know every pirate Markus has cursed. He does this to as many pirate couples as he can find, but you're the first to break free."

Nami glanced pointedly behind Karina. "At a cost."

"Magic has a price. This," she gestured to Nami's body, "is only temporary if you make a deal with me. I can fix this, but you have to agree to help stop Markus."

Stunned, Nami could only blink. Karina wanted Markus stopped? Surely she didn't mean... _stopped_. Not for good. Nami studied the other woman for a minute, then slowly lowered her Clima Tact, carefully thinking everything over. Magic was costly after all, and if she messed up even once it could not only kill her, but everyone else too.

"What kind of stopped do you mean?"

Karina glanced at Markus, grimacing at his bloody face frozen in a sinister smile. "If you manage to defeat him, he will be killed," she said quietly, eyes full of pain. "It's not what I want, but he's not the man I remember. He's not the man I fell in love with. He must be stopped, otherwise he will keep cursing and killing innocent people."

"But Tamlin said that no weapons can kill him."

"Every deal has a loophole," Karina told her. "It's like your curse; you knew without remembering and weren't killed."

"Right. And the loophole in my deal will be...?"

"Smart girl," the other woman remarked. "The loophole is out in the open. If you can't stop Markus, you stay dead. Tell me how you plan to stop him and if the plan will work, you wake up."

Nami glanced at Markus, looking away just as quickly. A bloody grinning head was creepy. She risked a glance at Zoro, but found she couldn't look at him for too long either. His eyes were completely blank, devoid of any emotions. Nami shivered, unused to Zoro's eyes frightening her.

"What's his loophole then?"

Karina stayed silent, prompting a sigh from the navigator.

"I have to figure that out for myself. Perfect."

"The deal Markus made was this: No weapon in the world can kill him. You friends have already figured out that he can be hurt, but once he pulls himself together, it will be like nothing happened. There won't be a scratch on him."

Which explained how the magician was still alive. One of Markus's legs had already reattached itself. It was covered in blood but as far as Nami could tell there weren't any wounds, and Sanji had surely broken the bone a few times. Not to mention Luffy should have left some teeth marks.

It was also a problem. If weapons couldn't kill Markus, that left bare hands or something that couldn't be counted as a weapon. But anything was a weapon if used correctly. Hell, Nami's old staff had been nothing more than a piece of wood, but she had still managed to hold her own.

Then again if bare blows worked, Sanji and Luffy would have had some effect by now. Neither of them used weapons- they _were_ weapons. Luffy's entire body was one giant weapon (albeit a weird one), and Sanji could crush boulders with a single kick. Surely between the two of them they could stop Markus.

"If no weapon in the world can kill him, what would be considered a weapon?" Nami asked.

Karina grinned. "You're thinking along the right lines, but the wrong part of the deal."

"So there _is_ a weapon that can stop him?"

Karina nodded. "Yes, but not one that anybody usually uses, or thinks about using. Magic has an effect on him, but he's set up a kind of shield around himself to block any of Tamlin's attacks. Swords, slingshots, fists, kicks, none of those will stop him."

"Then what can?"

"Think about the deal," Karina encouraged.

"Helpful," Nami huffed.

But she mulled everything over, twirling the Clima Tact absently as she studied Markus's body. There was a weapon that could work on him, but not one any of them had. No, not one anyone usually used. The weapon wasn't really the important part anyways. Was it? Nami didn't think so. No weapon in the world could kill him, so unless the mysterious weapon that would work was in her possession, it didn't really matter.

Nami studied her Clima Tact, running her fingers along the seams that separated each part of the staff. Usopp had invented this for her, writing instructions for a party item. None of them ever expected for the Clima Tact to be such a formidable weapon.

Maybe what would work on Markus was something that wasn't considered much of a weapon. Something easily written off or forgotten about. Karina _had_ said the weapon was one no one usually thinks about using. Kind of like Usopp's slingshot; no one really considered a slingshot a weapon, but whenever Usopp decides let a shot loose opinions change quickly.

"Two hundred years have passed since I sailed the Four Blues," Karina said suddenly, startling Nami out of her thoughts. "The world has changed so much in that time. I hardly recognize it anymore. The people are different, the ships are different, and the pirates themselves are different." She laughed. "I never would have guessed that that one," she nodded at Luffy, "is your captain."

Nami almost commented that a lot of people think that way, almost told her that nearly everyone they met was surprised that a goofy kid with a straw hat was in charge of a ship and a crew, but then Karina's words registered in her head, rolling around and then falling into place.

"It is a new world," she said slowly, "with new pirates, new marines... and new weapons."

Karina studied Nami for an endless moment, nodding once and smiling softly. "That's it."

Nami gasped, her body jerking so suddenly and so violently Chopper and Tamlin both shrieked. She blinked rapidly to clear the tears from her dry eyes, wiping the blood from her nose and ears as she sat up. No sooner had she gotten her bearings then did Chopper tackle her in a fierce hug, his little body shaking under her arms.

"You were dead," he sobbed.

"Just for a little while," Nami assured him, hugging him briefly. "Now come on. We have to stop Markus."

"How?" Tamlin demanded.

"Actually _I_ have to stop him," Nami amended, standing. "Can you cover me so I can get close?"

Tamlin remembered to close his mouth after a minute. He nodded, slowly standing beside her. He still wasn't sure how Nami had went from dead to perfectly fine in five minutes, but then again he was over two hundred years old and had no soul, so he didn't really have room to talk. And if she could stop Markus, he would do everything in his power to help her.

Markus had been his brother once, but the monster pulling himself together in front of him was nothing more than an enemy that needed to be stopped.

Tamlin gathered his last resources of magic. "I can buy you thirty seconds. Don't waste it."

But Nami was already sprinting through the trees, hitting the clearing just as Tamlin's magic zinged past her, hitting the almost whole again Markus in the back of the head. He froze where he stood, ice glittering off his skin and spreading from his fingers to his toes. Sanji stuttered mid kick, his visible eye going wide when he saw her. Markus caught sight of her as well and sneered.

"Nami," Zoro breathed, relief and shock coursing through his voice.

She only had fifteen seconds now- not enough time to assure everyone she was alright just yet. So she pulled out her Clima Tact, leaping into the air and praying she was right. Lightning crackled through the air, the edge of the Clima Tact spun, and Nami jammed the entire bolt of lightning into Markus's middle, driving everything upwards into his heart.

Markus screamed.

Lightning shot though his entire body, exploding out his fingertips and mouth, tearing his chest apart as it escaped. He gurgled once, eyes rolling into the back of his head, then he folded, falling at Nami's feet. He didn't get back up. The arm that was still detached went limp in the grass, inches from Luffy's ankle.

Nami didn't even get a chance to turn back to the others before Zoro had swooped her up in his arms, his mouth desperately latching onto hers. He pulled her as close to him as he possibly could, relishing in the steady feel of her heart beating against his chest. He knew he should make sure Markus was really down for good, but Nami was _alive_ and she was in his arms and there was _nothing_ more important than that.

"Nami you're okay we were scared are you a zombie now?" Luffy yelled as he tackled her from behind.

Nami laughed. "I'm not a zombie," she promised. Her captain looked a little disappointed.

Usopp emerged from the trees, an exhausted Tamlin draped over his shoulders. "Why did your Clima Tact work when nothing else would?" he asked.

"Because they didn't have anything like this two hundred years ago. Lightning sure, but not a weapon that could control lightning." Nami explained. "It's a brave new world. New weapons and all."

Usopp thought about that. "So... because I invented that, it worked?"

"Pretty much."

"Then this was a victory for the Great Captain Usopp!"

Sanji raised his visible brow. "How do you figure?" he asked, lighting a cigarette.

"I made the Clima Tact!" Usopp declared. "If I hadn't done that, we couldn't have stopped Markus, so we won because of me."

"Actually we won because Nami asked you to make the Clima Tact," Zoro said. "So this victory's hers."

"It's everyone's," a new voice said. Tamlin spun around so fast he stumbled and crashed into Luffy, who fell onto Chopper. There was a beat of silence as Karina eyed the tangle of limbs and hooves on the ground before she started to laugh. Tamlin managed to find his footing, scrambling upright to face his would-be sister-in-law.

"Karina... how?" he managed. "No, never mind I don't care. Why? Why didn't you come back for him?"

Karina lost her smile, suddenly looking older. "There was a storm," she said quietly. "I fell overboard trying to save my first mate. We both drowned." She gently touched Tamlin's shoulder. "He was the only one who knew about my plans to return for Markus. My crew had no idea, so they didn't know to tell anyone. They buried us on the next island they came to and kept sailing under my name."

Tamlin grasped her hand. "But you're here now... how are you here?"

"That's your fault. When Nami died you tried a Spirit Summoning spell right?" Tamlin nodded. "Well her spirit was still around, so I came to help her out. And to take you with me when I go back if you're ready to go."

Chopper looked up at Tamlin. "Your body is perfectly healthy," he told him. "You could probably live out a natural life now if you wanted."

Tamlin shook his head. "I think I've lived long enough." He turned to Nami, still secure in Zoro's arms and not looking like she was going anywhere. "One last thing though. You were dead for a few minutes, so technically the curse was used up. You should be able to remember now."

Nami frowned. "I don't remember any more than I did earlier."

"I can help with that," Karina said. She tapped one finger gently against Nami's forehead, brow furrowing in concentration. Nami's eyes glazed over for a second. She slumped forward in Zoro's arms, snapping upright in the next second with a faraway look in her eyes. "I've had a couple hundred years to study this curse. I can undo it in my sleep."

"I still think it'd be cool if she was a zombie," Luffy muttered, plucking his hat from the ground.

Tamlin tipped his head towards the sky and laughed as white light enveloped him. He gave the Straw Hats a smile, and then he and Karina were gone. Luffy carefully approached the spot Tamlin had been standing in and waved a hand through it.

"That's so cool!" he declared. "I wanna learn magic!"

Zoro glanced at the woman in his arms. Nami titled her head back to look him in the eye, smiling when their gazes locked. She pressed a kiss to his lips then stood back, looking at him expectantly. Zoro had no idea what she was up to, which probably meant he was in trouble, but he couldn't stop the smile.

"Well?" she asked.

"Well what?" Zoro replied, gathering her in his arms again, holding tight when she squirmed.

"It's our three year anniversary. Where's my gift?" Nami blinked and glanced down at her hand. "Actually, where's my ring?"

"I threw it overboard."

"You threw my _diamond engagement ring_ overboard? Out to _sea_?" She knew there had to be a good reason behind it, but she overdid the outrage a bit just to see him squirm.

"I didn't want you to find it and remember!" Zoro defended somewhat desperately. "_Do_ you remember?"

Nami gave him a smile. "Everything. We should get going soon though. It's a long sail to Cocoyashi and I think my sister's waited long enough to get me in a wedding gown. _After_ you get me a new ring," she added with a light kiss on his lips.

He smiled and kissed her again. "I'll get you the biggest damn diamond I can afford if you never scare me like that again," he promised her in a whisper.

"Wedding!" Luffy cheered. "Cake! Will you have a meat cake?"

Sanji clocked him on the head. "You idiot! Who has a meat cake at a wedding?"

"I'm gonna have a giant tower of meat instead of cake when I get married," Luffy announced.

There was exactly five seconds of silence before Usopp made eye contact with Chopper and lost it, clutching his stomach in effort to calm himself, laughing all the harder when Nami's giggles overpowered her and Zoro began to chuckle. Sanji snorted, coughed, and then began to laugh so hard he was barely making any noise at all. Chopper became a fuzzy heap on the ground, rolling in the grass in his hysteria. Luffy had no idea what was so funny, but his crew was happy, so he secured his hat to his head, tilted his face towards the sky, and laughed right along with them.


End file.
